Every NFL team has picks where they could’ve done better in the 2019 NFL Draft, but who were the worst selections for every AFC East team?
The honeymoon phase of the 2019 NFL Draft is over. The draft grades are in and rookies have started to report to camp. Players and teams are feeling each other out. Of course, a team doesn’t draft a player without having a plan in place.
Still, it doesn’t mean the player they picked will fit their system. And not all teams are equipped with the staff that understands how to adjust. Sometimes teams make bad picks. It’s no disrespect to the players, but rather just the way the cards shook out.
Sometimes, a team may draft a player based on their most pressing need, even if the value may not be there. Other times, teams take guys based on value and totally neglect their needs. If it sounds like a Catch-22, it is.
Yet, teams have to navigate this inexact science, which doesn’t always work out. With that in mind, let’s look at the worst picks for every team in the AFC East.
Buffalo Bills: Ed Oliver (No. 9 overall)
Admittedly, the Bills drafted well overall, bringing in one of the better overall classes. But taking Ed Oliver with the ninth-overall pick gave them yet another defensive tackle. Last season, the Bills gave former Carolina Panther Star Lotulelei a five-year, $50 million deal. Yes, he hurt his back but he’s only 29 and ready to take on the role of starter.
This offseason, Brandon Beane also signed the troubled yet talented Jordan Phillips, albeit to a one-year deal, but he could work well as a rotational player. In the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Beane also selected Stanford standout Harrison Phillips. The latter Phillips is a powerful player with enough quickness to line up in the 3-technique. Like Oliver, he can play up and down the defensive line. So, where does Oliver fit in?
What the Bills needed was an edge rusher. Jerry Huges and Trent Murphy are decent. However, Leslie Frazier’s defense needs an athletic edge rusher who can get after the quarterback. The Bills would have been better off selecting Rashan Gary, the Michigan defensive lineman with a 4.5-second 40 time. Like Oliver, Gary could play inside, but with more experience on the edge.
Another possibility was to trade down. Not only would they have collected more picks, but they could have drafted either Brian Burns or Montez Sweat. Both guys bring something different off the edge. Burns is slim, with elite athletic traits comparable to Jevon Kearse. Meanwhile, Sweat has size and athleticism but plays with power, comparable to Jason Pierre Paul. Either one of those players would have worked well in Frazier’s defense.
Now, the Bills have a loaded defensive tackle room but not enough edge rushers. Oliver is a great prospect but his pick was overkill.